Once I Was Blind
by Lady S
Summary: In the aftershock of the season finale who will Lorelei turn to? Complete


Once I Was Blind...  
  
Lady S  
  
Lying on the bed, her arms wrapped around the sleeping girl, Lorelei couldn't stop the flood of thoughts invading her sleepless mind. Looking over to make sure Rory really was sound asleep her frown deepened when she saw the tear tracks running down her little girl's face. Slipping her arms gently out from beneath the sleeping woman she crept to the door of the bedroom and slipped down the stairs. As she stood in the arch between the living room and the dining room Lorelei stared at the corner of the bed that she could just barely see in Rory's room.  
  
Before she knew what she was doing she hurried into the room, tearing off the bed-sheets and blankets, piling them up in the corner of the room until just a bare mattress topped the bed frame. Stepping over the pile she walked into the kitchen solely focused on the task at hand. Moving towards the sink she opened the cupboard under it and grabbed the can of Lysol before going back into the bedroom. Drowning the bed with the spray she held her finger over the can's nozzle until it was emptied.   
  
Tossing the can into the garbage she reached into a drawer and pulled out fresh sheets, putting them on the mattress before grabbing new blankets from the closet and laying them over the sheets, tucking the corners in tightly. With brisk movements she gathered the sheets and blankets from the floor and hurried out the front door, taking care not to let it slam shut. Through the darkness of midnight she hurriedly walked, almost running through the empty streets, to get to the Inn. Seeing it approach she moved even faster, this time running toward where she needed to go, the bundle, the memories it invoked, burning her arms the longer she held it.

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Shutting the door behind him, leaving Kirk in the ever-capable hands of his girlfriend Luke walked towards his room at the end of the hall. Why he had ever agreed to help that moron was beyond him. He felt creeped out just thinking about what he'd had to see and touch in order to help the young man. A shower, he definitely needed a shower. Reaching for his door handle he glanced out the window toward the backyard before opening the door only to stop in his tracks.  
  
Under the light of the full moon he saw her, kneeling in the ground, a pile of something before her in the fire pit. In the pale light he saw her strike a match, the bright red flare of its ignition briefly lighting up her face. His eyes widened when he saw her face, the paleness of her skin, the tears that had streaked down her face. Turning on his heel Luke ran down the hallway and down the stairs, out the back door to her side.  
  
"Lorelei?" he cried, worried. Falling to his knees next to her he looked down to see the fallen match catching fire on what he now saw were sheets and a blanket. "Lorelei, what are you doing?"  
  
Striking another match she tossed it towards the pile before he could stop her but as she reached for a third match he reached out and took the matches from her. Not letting it stop her Lorelei reached down next to her and picked up a bottle of the lighter fluid she had grabbed from the shed. Only managing to squirt a few ounces she finally noticed Luke when he grabbed the bottle from her, capping it before tossing it away from the fire.  
  
"Lorelei, what is going on?" he cried, shaking her shoulder.  
  
Raising her eyes to him Lorelei looked up at Luke in confusion. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"What am I ...?" Luke frowned. "What are you doing, Lorelei? What is this?" he asked, motioning to the burning pile.   
  
Looking back at the fire that now roared before them she shook her head. "It's death," she whispered. "She's dead."  
  
"What? Who's dead? Lorelei what are you talking about?"  
  
Turning to face Luke Lorelei's eerie calm began to crack; her chin started trembling and her eyes filled with tears. Reaching out she put her arms around Luke, holding him tightly, tighter than he could ever remember being held. Over the noise of the fire he could hear her sobbing, feel her shaking. The warm wetness of her tears began to seep through his shirt and Luke started to feel that freaked out feeling again.  
  
He didn't know what was wrong, he didn't know how to make it better, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. So he held her. As tightly as she was holding him he held her, stroking her back with his gentle hands, letting her pour out onto his chest whatever it was that was bothering her. After some time, a long time, she raised her head to look at him. Tears still streamed from her eyes but they were quieter now, the harsh sobbing subsided though the crying remained.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said at last, her voice thick with pain and tears. "I didn't mean to turn into the Niagara Falls on you. I know you hate that."  
  
"I don't care about that, Lorelei," he replied honestly, surprised by the truth in that statement. "Just tell me what's wrong."  
  
"I..."  
  
Faltering in her words, not knowing if she could tell Luke what had happened or not Lorelei stopped. As if sensing her hesitation Luke got to his feet, forcing Lorelei to do the same. Sitting down on one of the chaise lounge chairs he took his hands in hers, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders.   
  
"We have known each other for sixteen years, Lorelei," he began gently. "Whatever else we're starting right now we are friends first and foremost."  
  
Looking up at him, seeing the kindness in his eyes, Lorelei knew she could tell him. Luke was the one person in this town she could trust not to spread the news of her daughters fall to anyone. Though Dean might not be safe to come near the diner for a little while. Lying her head on his chest she told him what had happened after he had run off to catch Kirk. Lorelei could feel him becoming tenser with each passing word but the gentleness of his touch never wavered.  
  
After finishing her tale Lorelei fell silent, the rhythmic thumping of Luke's heart beneath her ear lulling her into an exhausted sleep. Realizing she had drifted off to sleep Luke leaned them back into the chair, wrapping her up in his arms tightly, her head resting just under his chin. Her words ran in his mind like a broken record. Rory... Dean...married man... sex...  
  
He couldn't believe it and yet at the same time he could. Dean had always held a spell over Rory, even when she had been dating Jess. He'd been her first boyfriend, her first kiss, her first love; he'd been her first everything. And now he'd been her first man, the one that had taken her virginity. Closing his eyes he frowned. Rory had been taken by a man who should have known better. God help him if he came near the diner. In the back of his mind Luke knew Rory wasn't entirely blameless in the matter but he didn't care.  
  
Still thinking about the young woman Luke's need for sleep began to pull him away from conscious thought until he too fell asleep.

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In the early morning light, before the sun had a chance to rise up into the sky, an unshaven figure wandered out into the yard, stretching as he walked. Sleeping on the couch had been no fun at all. Spying the pile of what looked like burned laundry he frowned, curios as to why they didn't just use wood. Shaking his head he turned to head back inside when he saw them. Stretched out on the lounge chair, both fast asleep.   
  
The man he recognized as the one he'd talked to last night. Realization hit him like a brick when he remembered the mans face as he had talked about Lorelei and him being perfect for each other. Looking at Lorelei's tear stained face he hoped he hadn't been the cause. Wishing her well Jason turned and left, knowing with every cell in his body that she had been right.   
  
It was over.

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What it was that woke her up she wasn't sure but Lorelei slowly came to her senses, the world drifting into her consciousness. There was a chill in the air but she felt warm, the warmth of Luke's arms wrapped around her keeping the chill at bay. Tilting her head back she looked up towards him only to see that he was already awake, watching her.  
  
"What a night, huh?" she said, trying to inject some humor into the situation.   
  
Seeing her need to keep things light Luke smiled. "Pretty wild. We just started dating and already we've slept together."  
  
Lorelei smiled at him in appreciation. Lying her head back down she was silent for a few moments until she heard the telltale signs of life from within the Inn. Knowing she had to get up and get ready to work Lorelei detached herself from Luke and stood up, he following suit. Heading back to the back door they walked hand in hand all the way to her door so she could shower and change. Stopping her just before she could disappear into the room Luke pulled her close.  
  
"I know it's bad," he whispered to Lorelei, gently kissing her. "But it will be okay, you'll see."  
  
Nodding Lorelei met his eyes with her own, thanking him without words for his kindness and understanding. As she shut the door she wondered how she could have missed out for so long on the wonderful man that she had spent the night with. Slipping out of her clothes she reached for a robe as she headed towards the bathroom, thankful that her once blind eyes had finally been opened.  
  
The End 


End file.
